Funding the future of research
Written by Rebecca Beyer | Published November 2025
What do an undergraduate biochemistry student studying how to treat pain without the risk of addiction, a law professor who examines how data and algorithms are shaping the criminal justice system, and the country’s first person to earn a doctorate in emerging media studies have in common?
Boston University.
Each of these people found a home at BU, where scholars are encouraged—and financially supported—to pursue groundbreaking research at every stage of their careers, including through the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), which allows students to join faculty research projects that match their interests; PhD fellowships in 55 separate doctoral programs; and convergent research, a growing focus at BU in which scholars use methods and knowledge from multiple disciplines to tackle seemingly intractable problems.
Something else the researchers share? The support of people like you has made their work possible.
BU recently launched a campaign called You Are Why to highlight the role research plays in improving people’s everyday lives. During BU’s Giving Tuesday campaign this year, you can contribute to that research, directing your dollars to aspiring and accomplished scholars.
The opportunities are huge: Currently, 9 percent of undergraduate students receive a stipend for their work through UROP, but 40 percent of qualified applicants are turned away because of a lack of funds. BU’s goal is to raise $10 million to support new UROP experiences, and your support can make a big difference in that effort. Small gifts can add up in a big way: $750 in raised funds covers five hours of a student’s work per week for a semester; when collective funds reach $7,000, that can support a student working full time over the summer.
With your help, expansion is in the works for PhD fellows, too. Fellows—who work in labs, teach undergraduates, publish their own research, and collaborate with faculty—earn a stipend of $47,000 each year, in addition to their full scholarships and health insurance coverage. In the College of Communication’s emerging media studies doctoral program—the first in the country—Sarah Krongard (COM’19) studied binge-watching and found that streaming-era behavior makes people more politically engaged and empathetic. BU has a goal of endowing 20 new Future Scholars Fellowships at $1.2 million each, a commitment to the promise of up-and-coming scholars like Krongard, who now works to promote safe social media practices in schools and communities.
At the University level, convergent research—which pushes past the boundaries of disciplinary and even interdisciplinary work—is already driving outcomes. In the past year alone, researchers have launched an AI-powered tool to monitor global infectious diseases, created a model to predict whether updating building and zoning codes could make Boston less vulnerable to climate hazards, and landed a telescope on the moon. At BU, we want to do more, with a goal of raising $15 million in new convergent research funds through a new Research Futures Fund.
BU’s goal is to build and sustain a pipeline of next-generation researchers whose work leads to new discoveries, new solutions, and new ideas. On Giving Tuesday, December 2, you can be part of that process. A gift of any size makes a difference in supporting future and established scholars—and may make an even bigger impact, because many gifts will be matched by other donors or sponsors. Make a contribution today to support one of these great causes or other BU programs you care about.